UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations will screen all Chadian troops offered for the world body’s peacekeeping force in Mali to make sure there are no child soldiers in their ranks, the head of UN peacekeeping said yesterday.
Chad was included in a UN list of countries published last week where children are recruited, killed, maimed or raped by government forces and armed groups. Others on the list include Afghanistan, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, and Mali.
Countries that have child soldiers are barred from participating in UN peacekeeping missions. Chad has vowed to cleanse its ranks of child soldiers and the United Nations has given the country four months to take steps to end the recruitment of children.
“Let me assure you that the United Nations is making every effort to screen the Chadian contingent to ... ensure that no troops under 18 are among them, as well as provide training on child protection issues,” UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told the 15-nation Security Council.
France, aided by 2,000 troops from Chad, began a military offensive in January to drive out Islamist fighters who hijacked a revolt by the Tuareg rebels and seized two-thirds of Mali. UN officials and diplomats say that the Chadians proved to be an extremely effective fighting force in Mali.
The UN peacekeeping force — to be known as MINUSMA — is expected to assume authority next month from a UN-backed African force deployed there to take over from the French. Most of the African force, including the Chadians, are expected to become part of the UN force, UN officials and diplomats say.
The deployment of the force is subject to a council review of Mali’s security situation, the focus of yesterday’s meeting of the 15-nation Security Council.
Reuters
